Medway: Masonic ring returned to owner

Thursday

MEDWAY — A Masonic ring that was seized by Medway police after it was allegedly stolen has been reunited with its owner, authorities said.

According to police Detective Sgt. William Kingsbury, the owner - a Medway man who Kingsbury declined to identify - walked into the police station Thursday and proved his ownership.

“He seemed happy,” Kingsbury said.

Charges are being brought against Jeffrey Piccinin, 44, of 10 Franklin St., who was found with the ring after he allegedly broke into a vehicle almost two weeks ago, Kingsbury said.

Authorities initially received a report on Sept. 19 from a Guernsey Street resident around 4:30 p.m. that someone just broke into his vehicle, which was parked at his home, according to a police affidavit filed in Wrentham District Court.

Police said several vehicle break-ins had been reported in the area in the days before the incident.

While on their way to the house though, law enforcement officials were told by the resident that he saw the suspect run toward Lincoln Street.

They later located Piccinin with the Masonic ring in his pocket on a nearby street.

Piccinin told authorities he had found the ring while walking to the Bellingham Market Basket on Rte. 126.

While there are no Mason lodges in Bellingham, the nearest lodge is in Medway on Cottage Street, which runs adjacent to Guernsey Street, according to the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts.

Kingsbury said the ring’s owner was unaware that the piece of jewelry had been taken until his father - also a Mason - urged him to check if it was missing upon hearing that police had seized a stolen one with the Freesmason symbol on it.

“He found out through the grapevine,” Kingsbury said.

Investigators had made several attempts to locate the ring’s owner by reaching out to local lodges and pawns shops where similar rings had been pawned recently.

Medway police also asked for the public’s help on Sept. 21 through a post on the department's Facebook page.

Kingsbury said that the owner told police the last day he had seen the ring was on Sept. 17 and noted that the owner’s vehicle did not show any signs of forced entry.

Piccinin was arrested on the same street where the ring’s owner and his father live, according to Kingsbury.

He said the investigation “went pretty smoothly,” adding that authorities prefer to be notified immediately after incidents like this one to increase their chances of finding a suspect and stolen property.

“The sooner we are notified the better (the) chances are,” he said.

Piccinin will be charged with receiving stolen property over $250, Kingsbury said.

Christopher Gavin can be reached at 508 634-7582 or cgavin@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @c_gavinMDN

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